Old Watauga High School development article

[YesAppCan]

http://www2.wataugademocrat.com/News/st ... -id-010573


Is old WHS deal dead?
by Kellen Moore

When the Boone Town Council began considering changes to its multi-family housing regulations, Watauga County objected for one primary reason: the pending sale of the 74-acre former high school property.
On Tuesday, the Town Council voted 4-1 to approve the new housing standards, with some amendments.
Now, the county is left holding its breath to see whether the $18.9 million deal with Templeton Properties will go forward.
Phil Templeton, who spends his winters in Arizona and didn't attend Tuesday's meeting, said Wednesday he was still reviewing the information from the meeting and wasn't yet prepared to address the matter.
"He's not at all encouraged by the language in the text amendment, but he has not made a decision as to whether he's going to go forward with the purchase," said Allen Moseley, Templeton's attorney.
Nathan Miller, chairman of the Watauga County Board of Commissioners, wasn't optimistic.
"I don't know if it kills our deal or not; I suspect it does," he said Wednesday. "I'm really disappointed in the town."
Under the town's new standards, future multi-family dwellings will have to include:
-- Either a garage/carport or 50 square feet of storage space
-- A master bedroom at least 25 percent larger than other bedrooms
-- A mix of unit sizes in each new project
-- Restricted bathroom-to-bedroom ratios
-- No more than three stories per building
-- No more than two parking spaces per unit
-- No more than two unrelated residents.
The changes are intended to create housing desirable and affordable for working-class residents such as teachers and police officers. They represent a major change for Boone's current housing lineup, which is heavy on student apartments that often charge by the bedroom.
There is an exception to the standards for any units that are part of a mixed-used project.
Units don't have to meet the standards if they are approved through a conditional B-3 district (general business) rezoning process and don't include phases of construction.
If the project does require phased construction, a developer must agree to either: build the commercial portions in the first phase; build fewer than one-third of the residential units before the commercial phase; or provide financial commitments to complete the commercial portions within a set timeframe. For example, a developer might get an irrevocable letter of credit from a bank to cover 125 percent of the projected costs.
"I don't see how it's workable, but I'm not a developer either," Miller said.
When the county has received such credit guarantees from projects in the past, they might be for $10,000 or $100,000 -- not millions of dollars, he said.
In a mixed-use project, developers sometimes prefer to construct the housing portion first, to begin generating income for the rest of the project.
While there's no decision yet on the Templeton Properties deal, it's clear that relations between the town and county have become strained once more -- a point Commissioners John Welch and Billy Kennedy tried to avoid Tuesday in voting against a county resolution opposing the town's actions.
But Miller said the blame rested with the town, which did not respond to a letter asking that the changes be tabled until Thursday night.
"They ignored us," Miller said. "I haven't heard a response from anybody officially with the town, and I think that's rude, quite frankly. ... I think it is destructive to the citizens of the county, whether they live in town or not, when two municipal bodies cannot listen to each other."

[appst89]

Read about this earlier in the week. The town has effectively killed any future building of student housing and left the county with a useless piece of property. Maybe it's time for ASU to step in and purchase the old WHS property.

[MountainMan]

The town of Boone is run by folks with "nice" ideas that are very naive and out of touch with real economic behavior. Their regulations will have the opposite impact as desired on affordable housing in Boone.

[8993]

Put a Target there and I'll be happy.

[Gonzo]

The biggest draw back ASU faces as far as location goes isn't being isolated or having no airport ect, it's dealing with an indigenous population of social conservative religious extremists that want nothing but to hamper the school's growth at every turn. It doesn't matter that the area's economy is driven by students (I work in the tourism industry up here and I'm sorry but there is no way this infrastructure could survive as it is solely off of $ from tourism). The students never get out and vote consistantly enough to shut down all the hillbilly legislations. RIDICULOUS noise ordinances and now a moratorium on student housing are just recent examples.

[MountainMan]

But I would suggest these most recent regulations come more from socially progressive granola munching socialists.

And when the social conservative religious extremists butt heads with the socially progressive granola munching socialists, that's when things get crazy around here!

[huskie3]

I am assuming that ASU is state property, does Boone city council have say so over anything built on ASU property?

[Kgfish]

I am assuming that ASU is state property, does Boone city council have say so over anything built on ASU property?

It would have been a great location for an ASU Olympic Sports complex Charleston has with Patriots Point. A track, softball baseball fields, soccer field, tennis courts all with seating, locker rooms and concessions. A couple of gyms to boot. Could have put the weight rooms and all those sport's coaching offices up there. I understand there are some asbestos issues with the school itself, but there are asbestos remediation companies all over the place. Another great opportunity missed.

[Kgfish]

The biggest draw back ASU faces as far as location goes isn't being isolated or having no airport ect, it's dealing with an indigenous population of social conservative religious extremists that want nothing but to hamper the school's growth at every turn. It doesn't matter that the area's economy is driven by students (I work in the tourism industry up here and I'm sorry but there is no way this infrastructure could survive as it is solely off of $ from tourism). The students never get out and vote consistantly enough to shut down all the hillbilly legislations. RIDICULOUS noise ordinances and now a moratorium on student housing are just recent examples.

Students spend a lot of money in the community, I get it. But why should people who spend 4-5 years in a town be able to have an influence in matters such as these? It'd be like giving illegals the ability to vote on laws allowing them to remain here without consequence. Realize I'm probably in the minority here, but students who - by virtue of having an apartment in Boone for a few years - voting in matters that concern the town of Boone should not be happening.

[asu24]

The biggest draw back ASU faces as far as location goes isn't being isolated or having no airport ect, it's dealing with an indigenous population of social conservative religious extremists that want nothing but to hamper the school's growth at every turn. It doesn't matter that the area's economy is driven by students (I work in the tourism industry up here and I'm sorry but there is no way this infrastructure could survive as it is solely off of $ from tourism). The students never get out and vote consistantly enough to shut down all the hillbilly legislations. RIDICULOUS noise ordinances and now a moratorium on student housing are just recent examples.

Gonzo, you're way off base with the " indigenous population of social conservative religious extremists that want nothing but to hamper the school's growth at every turn." The town has been run by left wing liberal,protect my view shed, no tree cutting, no big box store extremists for decades now. There wasn't been a socially conservative person on the town council in years.

[fjblair]

The biggest draw back ASU faces as far as location goes isn't being isolated or having no airport ect, it's dealing with an indigenous population of social conservative religious extremists that want nothing but to hamper the school's growth at every turn. It doesn't matter that the area's economy is driven by students (I work in the tourism industry up here and I'm sorry but there is no way this infrastructure could survive as it is solely off of $ from tourism). The students never get out and vote consistantly enough to shut down all the hillbilly legislations. RIDICULOUS noise ordinances and now a moratorium on student housing are just recent examples.

You could not be more wrong. As a matter of fact you don't know what the hell you are talking about with that idiotic statement. You sound like some outsider making absurd stereotypical generalizations rather than someone who went to school here. The "indigenous population" is not comprised of :social conservative religious extremists" and any extremists would be a pronounced minority. Furthermore the town of Boone is governed by socially liberal protectionist activists, if you want to label them.

As an ASU graduate, a Boone resident and a NC native I find your commentary very offensive and I don't offend very easily.

[moehler]

this appears to be a definite bad move by the town, at the very least they should produce a statement explaining their position. Affordable housing has been a problem for many years, I have been told that the cost of living in Boone is quite high, if true, its tough to attract quality professors, or any professionals. I guess if they cant come to some kind of compromise to allow afortable housing, then I wouldnt mind App somehow coming up with the money and buying the land. Hell, if the town keeps shooting themselves in the foot, maybe 3 or 4 years from now App can pick it up cheap.

[TheMoody1]

Students spend a lot of money in the community, I get it. But why should people who spend 4-5 years in a town be able to have an influence in matters such as these? It'd be like giving illegals the ability to vote on laws allowing them to remain here without consequence. Realize I'm probably in the minority here, but students who - by virtue of having an apartment in Boone for a few years - voting in matters that concern the town of Boone should not be happening.

I see where you are coming from, but I always looked at the student vote as if they are representing themselves and those students who will continue to come for years down the road.

[Gonzo]

Regardless of what some of you feel is the majority political/religious norm of the area, the current trend of anti-University legislation is pretty undeniable. Whether its a noise ordinance (dictating that the noise level of an average conversation is unacceptably loud after 10 pm) or a general restriction keeping developers from catering to an increasing demand in student housing, the towns permanent population is voting to keep Appalachian State as pint-sized as possible, and that doesn't sit well with me. They are hampering the school's growth as well as the culture of our alma mater.

I know some of you may think of students as fundamentally transient, but their opinion represents that of the revolving door of students in general, long into our future. Their opinion is just as valid as a long time local.

[GlassOnion]

Boone is unquestionably run by liberals. Is, has been, always will be.

I find the liberal reaction really, really disturbing. If you think that the town's decision is anything like conservative, you are very, very sadly misinformed on conservative values.

I bet you'd find quite a few more things of liberal invention that you'd disagree with just as much or more than the town's decision, if you actually looked.

[Gonzo]

Let me clarify: when I say "socially conservative religious extremists," I'm not talking Romney voters, I'm talking folks that are strongly against college parties, college bars, mildly loud music, premarital fornication, "sin" and everything else that remotely characterizes a college town.

[GlassOnion]

Let me clarify: when I say "socially conservative religious extremists," I'm not talking Romney voters, I'm talking folks that are strongly against college parties, college bars, mildly loud music, premarital fornication, "sin" and everything else that remotely characterizes a college town.

You just described .001 % of Boone's population. There arent enough of the people you describe in Boone to pass a cold, let alone pass a town resolution.

[Gonzo]

I find the liberal reaction really, really disturbing.

I am a libertarian.

[Gonzo]

Let me clarify: when I say "socially conservative religious extremists," I'm not talking Romney voters, I'm talking folks that are strongly against college parties, college bars, mildly loud music, premarital fornication, "sin" and everything else that remotely characterizes a college town.

You just described .001 % of Boone's population. There arent enough of the people you describe in Boone to pass a cold, let alone pass a town resolution.

How could you describe the noise ordnance and student housing moratorium as anything other than an outright assault on App State and the college culture.

Try not to get bogged down in the tired partisan BS and look at the actual issues.

[GlassOnion]

I find the liberal reaction really, really disturbing.

I am a libertarian.

Do you know what a libertarian is?

Libertarian values do not translate well at all to liberal values. They are against taxes, for very small limited government, and individual rights. So a libertarian would not, for instance, find it easy to vote for a President like barack obama.